Elifasi Msomi
Encyclopedia
Elifasi Msomi a.k.a. The Axe Killer is a South Africa
n serial killer
who was convicted in 1955 of 15 murders and sentenced to death
by hanging
. His victims all came from the Umkomaas and Umzimkulu valleys of KwaZulu-Natal
.
A Zulu man, Msomi was an unsuccessful young witch doctor or sangoma
. Seeking professional assistance, he consulted with another sangoma
. Msomi claims that during this exchange he was co-opted by an evil sprite, the Tokoloshe. In August 1953, under the instruction of the Tokoloshe, Msomi began an 18 month killing crusade in the southern KwaZulu-Natal
valleys of South Africa
.
Msomi initially rape
d and murdered a young woman in the presence of his mistress, whose blood he kept in a bottle. Unimpressed with his 'new' powers, his mistress alerted the police who arrested Msomi. He escaped shortly afterwards, giving credit for his escape to the all-powerful Tokoloshe. Msomi returned to his murderous ways, accounting for the lives of 5 children before being re-arrested. He duly escaped again. Msomi was arrested a month later for petty theft. The stolen items turned out to belong to his victims and he was soon fingered as the murderous culprit.
Msomi readily assisted the police in finding some of his victims remains, including a missing skull. Whether he gained further satisfaction from revisiting his crime scenes or felt diminished responsibility
in light of the Tokoloshe's influence is unclear. During his trial, Msomi claimed that he was merely a conduit for the evil Tokoloshe. Two psychologists disagreed, stating that Msomi was in fact of much higher than average intelligence and further that he derived sexual pleasure from inflicting pain. (see Sadomasochism) Msomi was sentenced to death by hanging at Pretoria Central Prison.
Msomi's reference to the Tokoloshe and his numerous escapes had however caused a high level of consternation amongst the superstitious Zulu population. Upon request, the judge permitted a deputation of nine Zulu Chiefs and Elders to attend the hanging in order to confirm that the Tokoloshe did in fact not save Msomi from his death. Even so, one chief felt that Msomi may return after death as the Tokoloshe himself.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
who was convicted in 1955 of 15 murders and sentenced to death
Death Sentence
Death Sentence is a short story by the American science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov. It was first published in the November 1943 issue of Astounding Science Fiction and reprinted in the 1972 collection The Early Asimov.-Plot summary:...
by hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
. His victims all came from the Umkomaas and Umzimkulu valleys of KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
.
A Zulu man, Msomi was an unsuccessful young witch doctor or sangoma
Sangoma
A sangoma is a practitioner of herbal medicine, divination and counselling in traditional Nguni societies of Southern Africa .The philosophy is based on a belief in ancestral spirits...
. Seeking professional assistance, he consulted with another sangoma
Sangoma
A sangoma is a practitioner of herbal medicine, divination and counselling in traditional Nguni societies of Southern Africa .The philosophy is based on a belief in ancestral spirits...
. Msomi claims that during this exchange he was co-opted by an evil sprite, the Tokoloshe. In August 1953, under the instruction of the Tokoloshe, Msomi began an 18 month killing crusade in the southern KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
valleys of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Msomi initially rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d and murdered a young woman in the presence of his mistress, whose blood he kept in a bottle. Unimpressed with his 'new' powers, his mistress alerted the police who arrested Msomi. He escaped shortly afterwards, giving credit for his escape to the all-powerful Tokoloshe. Msomi returned to his murderous ways, accounting for the lives of 5 children before being re-arrested. He duly escaped again. Msomi was arrested a month later for petty theft. The stolen items turned out to belong to his victims and he was soon fingered as the murderous culprit.
Msomi readily assisted the police in finding some of his victims remains, including a missing skull. Whether he gained further satisfaction from revisiting his crime scenes or felt diminished responsibility
Diminished responsibility
In criminal law, diminished responsibility is a potential defense by excuse by which defendants argue that although they broke the law, they should not be held fully criminally liable for doing so, as their mental functions were "diminished" or impaired. The defense's acceptance in American...
in light of the Tokoloshe's influence is unclear. During his trial, Msomi claimed that he was merely a conduit for the evil Tokoloshe. Two psychologists disagreed, stating that Msomi was in fact of much higher than average intelligence and further that he derived sexual pleasure from inflicting pain. (see Sadomasochism) Msomi was sentenced to death by hanging at Pretoria Central Prison.
Msomi's reference to the Tokoloshe and his numerous escapes had however caused a high level of consternation amongst the superstitious Zulu population. Upon request, the judge permitted a deputation of nine Zulu Chiefs and Elders to attend the hanging in order to confirm that the Tokoloshe did in fact not save Msomi from his death. Even so, one chief felt that Msomi may return after death as the Tokoloshe himself.